Can bracket



Nov. 9, 1926. 1,606,087

R. F. LINDSAY, SR., ET AL CAN BRACKET Filed July 5. 1924 Ill I I I'I ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT F. LINDSAY, SR., AND EFFA SHAW LINDSAY, OF GREENVILLE, SOUTH I CAROLINA.

v CAN BRACKET.

Application filed July 3,

This invention relates to a can bracket, especially adapted for use in connection with a device for agitating liquids by means of air while they are being frozen.

In manufacturingice from raw water, it .is customary to agitate the water by means of air introduced. through a perforated tube suspended in the'central part of the ice can in order to remove impurities from the water, and to prevent them from being frozen into the ice as it is progressively formed from the walls of the can toward its center, thus insuring the production of a crystal clear block of ice.

The general object of the present invention is to provide an improved bracket adapted to support the agitating tube, above referred to, with a special view to simplicity of construction, durability and universal adaptability. It consists essentially of a bracket provided with means engageable over, the rim of the can and bearing against its inner face and having a bar adapted to extend transversely to the top of the can, and a spring held pivoted tongue which may be pressed downwardly and inserted in the lifting hole of the can when the hole is centrally located, and may extend over and engage the rib of the can when the lifting hole is not centrally located. The bracket may, therefore, be conveniently attached and detached from any type of can, and is adapted when so attached to provide a floating support for the tube at the center of the can.

The specific details of our invention and the mode of its operation will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention inits preferred form.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through the upper part 'of an ice can having the invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertlcal section taken centrally of the bracket.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the bracket, detached.

Figure 6 is a plan view showing the bracket applied to a different type of can.

In Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing, the invention is shown in connection with a can 1924. Serial No. 724,059. 1

10, having plain sides with the lifting holes centrally located. The can, as shown, contains a partially frozen block of ice 11, having a central core of unfrozen water 12' The can is provided with a reinforced rim 13, with a lifting hole 14 formed centrally of each side of the can.

- The bracket, which forms the subject matter of our invention, includes a channel bar 15, adapted to extend slightly more than half way across the can, and having .its bottom cut away at one end, as shown at 16,- and the sides bent laterally, with their ends in the shape of l1ooks'17 adapted to be engaged over the top of the rim 13. A brace 18 is riveted or otherwise secured to the bottom of the channel bar 15, near the end adjoining the rim, and is formed with divergent legs 18 adapted to abut against the inner wall of the can beneath the hole 14,

so as to support the bar 15 in horizontal position. The brace 18 may be conveniently formed from the piece which is cut from the of an inverted channel, and a coiled spring 22, mounted on the pivot pin 20, normally urges the tongue upwardly about its pivot. the inner end of the tongue being formed with a heel 23, which engages the bottom of the channel bar 15 to limit the upward movement of the tongue when the bracket is detached.

The free end portion of the channel bar 15 has a slot 24 formed in its bottom and adapted to receive the perforated agitating tube 25, from which air is discharged into the core of water 12. The tube 25 is provided with a rectangular head 26 having a loose fit within the channel 15, and furnishing a floating support for the tube. The slot 24 is elongated, so that the tube, influenced by the discharge of air into the core, will automatically position itself at the center of the core. Air is supplied to the tube 25 through a nipple 27 attached to an air hose 28, and adapted to be removably inserted in the upper end of the tube.

lVhen the bracket is used in connection with the type of can illustrated in Figures 1 to t which has the lifting holes 14: centrally located, the insertion of the end of the tongue 21 serves to position the bracket centrally of the can. In Figure 6, we have shown a can 29 having ribs 30 located centrally of its opposite sides, and with the lifting holes 31 located at one side thereof. In applying the bracket to a can of this type, the tongue 19 is allowed to project above the rim, and the channel or groove formed on the under side of the tongue engages the rib 30 to fix the position of the bracket centrally of the can. If the can is formed with central ribs and also has its lifting holes located centrally, the tongue 19 will be inserted through the lifting hole in the same manner as shown in Figures 1 to 4, and the recess 16, formed at the end of the channel bar 15, permits the bracket to fit around the rib.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that we have provided a bracket which is very simple in its construction, as well as durable. It is inexpensive to manufacture, and may be readily applied to any type of can. WVhen attached in the manner explained above, it is firmly supported, and the tube 25 has a full floating support, so that it will automatically find the center of the unfrozen core until the ice is closed in from every side, The impurities of the water are held in suspension, and may be easily removed by the core pumping method, after which the cavity remaining is filled u with fresh water, until the ice cake is finally completely frozen. The tube may then be removed in the usual manner by the use of a thawing'needle. The slot 24 permits the tube to move transversely across the can, and is of sufficient length to accommodate variations in the transverse dimension of the can, or to compensate for distortion in the walls of the can. The discharge of air at the lower end of the tube, and the under-tow of water created by this discharge, keeps the tube constantly in motion, and even though the ice forms faster on one side of the can than the other, the tube will always move to the center of the unfrozen zone.

While we have-shown and described in detail the preferred form of the invention and its mode of operation, it is to be understood that this is merely illustrative, and that various modifications may be made in the size, shape and arrangement of the va-.

rious parts without departing from the salient features of the invention as herein claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a can bracket, the combination of a bar having one end provided with hookshaped spaced arms engageable over the rim of a can, a tongue pivoted to the bar and depressible so as to engage the lifting hole of said can rim, said tongue being formed with a channel in its underside, a spring mounted within said channel and urging the tongue upwardly about its pivot, a heel at the rear end of the tongue engageable with the bar to positively limit the upward movement of the tongue, and means at the free on}? of the bar for supporting an agitating tu e.

2. In a can bracket, the combination of a channel bar having its sides extended later ally at one end and then upwardly in the form of hook-shaped arms engageable over the rim of the can, the bottom of the channel between said arms having a recess cut in its end and adapted to receive a rib on the inside of the can, a tongue pivoted to the bar and adapted to project through a hole in the can to hold the bracket against lateral sliding movement on the can, and means at the free end of the bar for supporting an agitating tube. I

3. In a can bracket, the combination of a bar having one end provided with hookshaped spaced arms engageable over the rim of the can, means at the other end of the bar for supporting an agitating tube, and a spring-held tongue pivoted to the bar and having a channel formed longitudinally of its under side, whereby the bracket is adapted to be used either on a can having a central inside rib or one having a central lifting hole, said channel fitting over the rib, or said tongue projecting throughthe hole as the'case may be.

4. In a can bracket, the combination of a channel bar having its sides extended laterally at one end and then upwardly in the form of hook-shaped arms engageable over the rim of the can, the bottom of the channel between the arms having a recess cut in its end wherebyto fit around an inside rib of the can, a tongue pivoted Within the channel bar and having a channel formed longitudinally of its underside and engageable with the upper end of said rib, and means at the free end of the bar for supporting an agitating tube,

1 5. In a can bracket, the combination of a channel bar having itscentral portion cut away at one end to form a pair of divergent arms which are bent to form hooks engage able over the rim of a can, a brace secured to the underside of the bar and engageable with the inner face of the can to su port the bar in horizontal position, said brace with its divergent arms being in a plane substantially perpendicular to the side of the can when the bar is thus supported,'the arms of said brace engaging the inner face of the can between the arms of said channel bar, a tongue pivoted between the. sides of the bar and having means-engageable with the can fee to prevent lateral sliding movement of the bracket, and means at the free end of the bar for supporting an agitating tube.

6. In a can bracket, the combination of a bar having hook-shaped supporting arms at one end, a tongue pivoted to the bar, a spring normally urging the tongue upward- 1y, a heel on the rear end of the tongue engageable with the upper surface of the bar to positively limit the upward movement of the tongue, and means at the free end of the bar for supporting an agitating tube.

7. In a can bracket, the combination of a channel bar having its sides extended at one 15 end to form hook-shaped supporting arms,

a tongue pivoted between the sides of the channel bar and having down-turned flanges, a spring housed between the sides of the channel bar and the flanges on the tongue and bearing against said tongue, means on the tongue engageable with the can to prevent lateral sliding movement of the bracket, and means at the free end of thebar for supporting an agitating tube.

In testimony, that We claim the foregoing as our own, We have hereto aflixed our signatures.

' ,UROBERT F. LINDSAY, SR.

EFFA SHAW LINDSAY. 

